AudiencScapes

Helping Citizens Keep Tabs on Government

Creating an ethical and open government is a goal with which every country struggles. Armed with information and communication technologies, a diverse array of projects are sprouting in developing nations to make government more responsive to its citizens. A prime example of how ICT is being used to improve government accountability is the emergence of “e-government” projects: Countries around the world are making government services accessible online. Some are also creating digital procurement processes to reduce corruption in contract awards.

In this issue of the AudienceScapes Field Blog, our fellows report on two very different approaches to improving government. In Zimbabwe, Tawanda Karombo describes a new campaign using social media to expose and confront corruption, whether committed by public officials or private citizens. Dinfin Mulupi reports on a Web-based platform that encourages Kenyans to post reports about how well the government is functioning. While both projects aim their resources at slightly different targets, the ultimate goal is to put pressure on governments to serve the public.

Young Journalists Denounce Corruption in Zimbabwe

A group of journalists is banding together to tackle corruption at all levels of Zimbabwean society. They are employing social media both to discourage Zimbabweans from engaging in corrupt behavior and to report it when they see it. MORE

Kenya: Citizen Watchdogs Go Online

Holding government officials accountable is the goal of a new project that solicits citizen reports via mobile phone. Through this Web-based public forum the government’s performance will be scrutinized – and, the hope is – improved. MORE